Child Maltreatment and Substance Use: A Behavior Genetic Analysis

Abstract

Child maltreatment is a pervasive social problem often perpetuated by family members and is related to a wide array of negative life outcomes. Although substance use is an outcome commonly associated with experiences of child maltreatment, not all individuals who experience maltreatment struggle with such issues. Many individuals can positively adapt to experiences of maltreatment based on levels of resilience and susceptibility. Research suggests that genetic differences may partly explain why negative outcomes develop for some, but not for others. Few studies have examined the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence the longitudinal association between child maltreatment and varying forms of substance use, leaving a fundamental gap in our current understanding of this association. The current study aims to address this gap by analyzing a sample of twins from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health). Findings from a series of univariate and bivariate biometric models reveal that the longitudinal associations between maltreatment, cigarette use, and marijuana use are accounted for by additive genetic and nonshared environmental factors. Moreover, the magnitude of the contribution varies across unique subgroups of cigarette and marijuana use. Directions for future research and theoretical implications are discussed.

Introduction: Special Collection of Medical and Health-Related Research

“…Was this caused by "nature or nurture?" Azimi and Connolly (2022) studied the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence the longitudinal association between child maltreatment and varying forms of substance use by analyzing a sample of twins from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. They found that associations over time between cigarette and marijuana use and maltreatment were accounted for by both additive genetic and nonshared environmental factors.…”

“…Austin et al (2022) identified 30 studies in a review that examined the association of child maltreatment with prenatal exposure to cocaine, alcohol, opioids, marijuana, amphetamines, and multiple substances, finding that substance-exposed infants had an increased likelihood compared to unexposed infants for child protective services involvement, maternal self-reported risk of maltreatment behaviors, hospitalizations and clinic visits for suspected maltreatment, and adolescent retrospective self-report of maltreatment. Was this caused by “nature or nurture?” Azimi and Connolly (2022) studied the extent to which genetic and environmental factors influence the longitudinal association between child maltreatment and varying forms of substance use by analyzing a sample of twins from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. They found that associations over time between cigarette and marijuana use and maltreatment were accounted for by both additive genetic and nonshared environmental factors.…”

Adverse childhood experiences and craving: Results from an Italian population in outpatient addiction treatment

“…In addiction research, child maltreatment and genetic factors have been linked to cigarette and marijuana use (Azimi & Connolly, 2022), and ACEs have accounted for issues with illicit drug use in one-half to two-thirds of cases (Dube et al, 2003). A modeling study showed that more than half of heroin and crack cocaine use was tied to ACEs (Bellis et al, 2014).…”